Lorde was not the first person to be surprised by the media scrum she encountered at Auckland Airport this week. And she will not be the last.
When people are thrust into the media spotlight, the demands from journalists and their editors can be irritating to say the least.
But these days, it’s a fact of life that someone who has achieved such an amazing feat on the world stage will attract intense media interest. And remember that’s only because the public will want to see and hear from her.
A common concern from our media training clients is the fear of a journalist appearing from nowhere with a microphone in his or her hand and the camera rolling.
The difference here is that it shouldn’t have been a surprise. Lorde should have been warned of what was coming and have been prepared. A few interesting sound bites would have been all the waiting media needed. It’s better to give them what they want and move on. Firstly, they will appreciate it when they produce future stories. It’s also good for your personal profile.
While pushing her is not acceptable, it needs to be remembered that journalists are only doing their job. They will have been sent by their bosses to get a story. This puts pressure on them to get some good quotes or sound bites. If they return to their newsrooms without a story, they could be in trouble with their editors.
Having said this, I’m sure Lorde will get some good media training advice now she is an international celebrity. It’s also important to remember that although she complained about her treatment by the media, the big story is still her wonderful achievement at the Grammies.
For more information on our media training and presentation training, contact pete@mediatrainingnz.co.nz

Pete is a leading New Zealand media trainer and regular blogger for his company, Media Training NZ . He has helped leaders from all sectors of society communicate with the media and other stakeholders. Pete is a former daily newspaper reporter and press secretary in the New Zealand government. From these roles, he understands the media process from both sides of the camera.